LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A group in Las Vegas is working to add diversity to outdoor activities and break stereotypes.
Donovan Childress created the Black People Hike group in 2020 when he was in high school.
“I love hiking, but I don’t see too many people of color out with me, so I decided to create Black People Hike Las Vegas,” he said.
He wanted to encourage others in the Black community to get out in nature and break stereotypes, by trying new outdoor activities, like hiking.
“I feel like if we expose them to nature, you know it will definitely try to just diminish the stereotype that has been with Black people and the outdoors,” said Childress.
Childress says the Black People Hike group started with only four people – and in just a few years, it’s grown to 50.
“We actually had a hike with the NAACP and Congressman Horsford, and it just blew up from there,” said Childress. “Even though my goal has been to bring people of color and see what Nevada has to offer, it has also turned into a networking and sense of community.”
And it’s not just hiking. The group also organizes outings for fishing, kayaking, and even skiing – all activities which Childress says you don’t typically see many Black people participating.
“Skiing was really popular last year,” he said. “And just to see a lot of Black skiers, I never thought I’d see the day with that happening, but here we are on the forefront of it.”
Next up, Black People Hike is planning a big outing for Black History Month in February. Childress says it will be a ‘unity on the trail’ event – bringing local Black empowerment groups together as one.
For more information about Black People Hike and upcoming events, click here.
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